TV Show That Successfully Survived Lead Character Replacements

Lost:  Michael J. Fox

And Found:  Charlie Sheen

Ha, Karma's a b*tch, ain't it Charlie boy?!  The ever-winning and tiger-blood infused Sheen took over for Michael J. Fox after his departure to spread awareness for Parkinson's disease, and the show continued on for two more seasons under the remaining producers that left in the wake of creator Bill Lawrence's departure.

To be fair, we're going to continue not watching Two and a Half Men regardless of this warlock's eventual replacement.

Lost:  John Schneider and Tom Wopat

And Found:  Byron Cherry and Christopher Mayer

Coy and Vance.  Sigh.  Contract disputes saw Tom Wopat and John Schneider walking right off the set for the fifth season, lazily replaced with previously unknown cousins "Coy and Vance," little more than Bo and Duke clones.

Seriously.  They just pencilled over their names in the script!  After a season of low ratings, the real Duke boys were wooed back from their "Nascar ambitions" to drive the General Lee for another two seasons.

Lost:  Shannen Doherty

And Found:  Rose McGowan for Charmed, Tiffani Amber-Thiesen for 90210

Bummer.  Poor Shannen Doherty abandoned Charmed after its third season, and the show continued a successful run in five more seasons with Rose McGowan in her place. 

Not to mention how Shannen left 90210 after its fourth season, and ended up with Tiffani Amber-Thiessen as "bad girl" Valerie Malone in her place for the majority of remaining seasons.

Lost:  Jenny McCarthy

And Found:  Carmen Electra

Sexy funny-girl Jenny McCarthy exited MTV's best reality dating show (Good lord, have you even watched Next?!) after two years, launching the post-Playboy career of Carmen Electra for its remaining two seasons.